- It's a good time to be an Exos fan. The well-regarded Icelandic techno artist recently announced reissues of two rare records from his back catalog. The first is Q-Box, one of his early EPs for the cult label Thule. Now more than 15 years old, it stands as arguably the quintessential Thule release: it's wonderfully warm and dubby, and a joy to mix with, thanks to its crisp, efficiently constructed percussion. Part of its staying power comes from its versatility, with four tracks of varying tempos (moving from 135 down to 120 BPM) and moods that are all primed for deeper sessions.
"Haus Í Krukku," a brisk, lightly swung 135-BPM cut with bright piano stabs, begins things on an uplifting note. "Áttfalt," its jungly percussive tones paired with subtly filtered cymbals, is the record's off-kilter gem, and counts among Exos's very best efforts. The slower-burning B-side returns to more familiar dub techno sounds. "Gegnum Skráargat" adds a touch of darkness and urgency with its echoed chords and low synth murmurs, and stretches across more than ten minutes. Last track "Spaellt" is starlit and spliff-ready, unfurling wispy tendrils of melody into cosmic ether as it brings to a close this classic EP.
TracklistA1 Haus Í Krukku
A2 Áttfalt
B1 Gegnum Skráargat
B2 Spællt